Surface covering installation with means to reach covered access systems

ABSTRACT

A surface covering installation such as a wall to wall floor covering of carpeting installed by means of the usual cementing operation and comprising a flap held in place by releasable pressure sensitive adhesive to provide access to covered access systems within the floor.

[111 3,808,760 [451 May 7,1974

United States Patent [191 Ward 156/71 Breading............................... 52/221 SURFACE COVERING INSTALLATION WITH MEANS TO REACH COVERED ACCESS SYSTEMS [75] Inventor: Robert C. Ward, Bay Shore, NY.

[73] Assignee: Commercial Affiliates, Inc., New

Primary Examiner-Alfred C. Perham York, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward I-Ialle, Esq.

22 Filed: Mar. 20, 1973 211 App]. No.: 342,958

ABSTRACT A surface covering installation such as a Wall to wall floor covering of carpeting installed by means of the usual cementing operation and comprising a flap held in place by releasable pressure sensitive adhesive to provide access to covered access systems within the floor.

k5 MW J 7 3 2 243 w /074 t 2 i W 4 m "7 c n e W: n mmm m Mm R mm "a l "f C10 .m .m.m UIF 1:1] 2 8 6 555 5 1:11. 1.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,053,943 Carlson................................. 52/221 16 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SURFACE COVERING INSTALLATION WITH MEANS TO REACH COVERED ACCESS SYSTEMS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In certain types of covering installation such as carpeting installations where the carpeting has a sponge backing bonded to the carpeting material, the carpeting is cemented to a floor, usually a concrete floor. In modern types of building construction various conduits and trenches are made in or under concrete floors for pipes, electrical cables, telephone wires and other such purposes. The conduits may be reached through a plate, usually a steel plate, either circular or square, placed at the floor surface, or they may be in the form of trenches having a line of steel plates over the trench level with the concrete floor. If carpeting is cemented down and it is necessary for a workman, such as an electrician or telephone man, to get at the wiring, the carpeting must then be torn up from the floor in order for the trench to be opened.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method of installing covering, such as sponge-bonded carpeting over a floor, such as a concrete floor, with provision to have access to the access covers of trenches of mechanical access systems without disturbing the carpeting installation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such carpeting installation in which the carpeting is laid with flaps or tabs which may be selectively and releasably held down to the floor surface so that the carpeting may be lifted without damaging the installation for the purpose of having access to the systems in or under the floor.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the specification hereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS of another modification of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view partially in perspective of the form of invention shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention is illustrated in the drawings which show a trench 20 having a pair of conduits 22 and 24, such as electrical cables, telephone cables, or the like. The trench 20 is positioned within a structure surface such as a concrete floor 26 having an access cover area being covered by a series of access covers such as steel plates 28 which, in turn, are held in place by means of bolts or other fasteners 30. Pieces of carpeting 32 comprising a multi-filament nylon carpet 34 to which a sponge base 36 has been bonded are shown in position above the concrete floor 26 in FIG. 1 as strips of covering material.

The carpeting 32 may be of any width. However, in the usual large scale installation, carpeting of a width of four feet, six inches is used. This type of carpeting 32 comes on long rolls and is rolled out and cut to fit the area of the floor 26 and then is cemented to the floor 26 and also bonded or seamed in edge to edge relationship as indicated at reference numerals 40. The invention will be described in the use of carpeting of four feet, six inches in width, it being understood that any width of carpeting may be used.

The direction of the run of the trench 20 determines direction of the run of the elongated strip of carpet 32 since in the preferred form of the invention it is desired to have the carpet 32 extend beyond both sides of the trench. A chalk line or other such means should be used to determine positioning of the carpet and the carpet should be centered as nearly as possible over the trench 20, with a first side 32a of the strip of covering material (the carpet) 32 spaced outwardly from a first side 20a of the trench 20 and a second side 32b of the carpet 32 being spaced outwardly from the second side 20b of the trench 20. At no time should two widths of carpet strip 32 be seamed on top of the trench 20. The method and construction of the invention involves the use of cement as well as adhesive tape including a single faced type of adhesive tape 42, as well as a doublefaced type of releasable adhesive tape 44.

Referring now to FIG. I of the drawings, we see representation of a trench having steel covered plates 28. Line 50 is the chalk line along which the four foot, six inch width of carpet is to be laid and line 52 is the line which represents the other side of the four foot, six inch carpet. The length of carpeting 32 which will be placed over the trench will eventually be seamed as designated by numeral 40 to adjacent length of carpeting 32 along lines 50 and 52 (as in FIG. 1).

After determining the position of the carpeting and laying out the chalk-lines 50, 52, it is then desirable to paint or flow a five inch strip of concrete sealer along a side 20b of the trench 20, as indicated by reference numeral 54 in FIG. I. The concrete sealer may be of any type which will seal the concrete and make it a good base for the application of a pressure sensitive adhesive tape. It has been found that No. latex liquid supplied by Essex Chemical Corporation, BFC Division of Baltimore, Maryland, is a suitable sealer. Then a four foot, six inch length of carpet should be laid down between the chalk lines and seamed to the adjoining length of carpets 32 to the left and right of it and the usual carpet cement should be placed on the concrete to fasten and adhere the four foot, six inch width of strip 32 in place over the trench. The space over the five inch width of concrete sealer 54, and also for a six inch strip on the other side of the trench 20 designated by reference numeral 56, as well as the access cover steel plates 28 must be left free of cement. The result is that the usual carpet cement will be laid out carefully in two elongated longitudinal areas 60 and 62 adjoining the seam 40 on the chalk lines 50 and 52, leaving a clear inner space comprising the six inch strip 56, the top of the trench 20 and the five inch sealed strip 54.

During the process of applying the cement which will carpet edges 32a and 32b can be rolled back and adhered to the concrete and the usual seams made at reference numerals 40 to the adjoining strips of carpeting. The construction will now have the appearance as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Any good carpeting cement may be used. It is preferred to use a product known as D-360 supplied by the Commercial Carpet Corp. of West 33rd Street, New York, New York.

The next step is to make a long cut on the length of carpet 32 which is overlying the trench. Such a cut 66 is made three inches from the trench line b, as indicated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The cut carpet piece 74 is then lifted along cut line 66 (see FIG. 3) and rolled back over the trench. A two inch wide single faced adhesive tape 42 is then applied in an L shape to the corner fonned by the bottom 68 and cut edge 70 of the uplifted piece 74. The single-faced tape 42 will adhere to the bottom 68 and edge 70 of the carpet peice 74 to present a smooth surface. Then a two inch double-faced adhesive tape 44 is laid over the sealer 54 along cut line 66 so that the tape 44 will be centered on the cut line 66 and extend one inch under carpet piece 78, leaving another inch extending out from under carpet piece 78 so that carpet piece 74 and its lift edge 70 (covered by tape 42) can be placed over the double-faced tape 44. It might be helpful to use a double-faced tape 44 having a release protective cover 80 over the tape which can be kept in place until all of the elements are properly aligned. Then the release cover 80 can be removed and the carpet pieces 78 and 74 impressed on the seam line formed thereby so that edge 70 of piece 74 will abut edge 82 of piece 78 to make a seam held down by the double-faced adhesive 44.

The construction of the invention is now complete. Whenever it is desired to get at the conduits 22 or 24 within the trench 20, the carpeting piece 74 is lifted along out line 66 formed at double-faced tape 44 and rolled back over the trench. Since there is no adhesive on either side of the trench, the carpet can be rolled back completely away from the trench, being anchored only by the adhesive strip 62 at a hinge edge 74a which forms an edge of flap 74f, as shown in FIG. 1. Any desired number of steel plates 28 can be removed, the repair work done, after which steel plates 28 are replaced and the carpet isrolled back and fastened against the double-faced tape 44.

In FIG. 4 a construction is shown which is provided to cover an area where a trench may be L-shaped and require the flap to be made along both arms of the trench. In such case the flap is made in the usual manner as described hereinabove along one arm of the trench, for example a trench arm 86 shown in FIG. 4. Then a cut 88 is made along the other arm of the trench three inches away, in the same manner as set forth hereinabove, and the carpet pieces 90 and 92, which have been left without any adhesive D-360 underneath, are rolled up and joined with a seam using a strong Kraft paper 95, as indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 4. Thus a flap 96f having a corner 100 which may encompass more than one width of carpet 90, 92, 94 is combined with another flap 74f in the usual longitudinal fashion described hereinabove. The lift edge 70 of the flap 74f and the lift edges 96 and 98 of flap 96f will be fastened down over a two inch double-faced tape in accordance with the construction of the invention. The hinge edge of flap 96f will be along dotted line 102.

Another form of the invention is provided for use over a hand access plate such as the usual round or square steel plates which can be removed to get access to a conduit beneath the floor. In FIG. 5 an area of sealer 104 five inches wide is flowed around the access plate 106. Then chalk cutting lines 108 are made three inches outside of the inside border 110 of sealer strip 104. Then two inch double-faced adhcsive tape 44 with protective coating is laid and centered over the cutting lines 108. No cement is placed in the area defined by plate 106 nor over the double-faced tape 44. The carpet 32 is then laid in the usual manner and cuts are made along the cut lines 108 on three sides, as shown in FIG. 6. This creates a flap 112 which is pulled back. Two inch single-faced tape 42 is placed along the three edges of the flap so that it will cover the bottom edges of the flap and the cut sides.

The protective coating is now removed from the two inch strip of double-faced tape 44 and the flap 112 is placed back in position. It will be held in place by the double-faced tape and can be removed at will to get at the access plate 106, and then replaced when desired.

While the invention has been described with the use of multifilament sponge bonded nylon carpeting as the covering material, any other type of covering material may be used with the invention, for example, a broadloom carpeting and other types of carpeting. In addition, while specific measurements have been given in a preferred form of the invention, the invention may be practiced and the construction of the invention made with any suitable dimensions for the purpose.

While the invention has been described in its preferred forms, it may take other forms, all coming within the scope of the claims hereinbelow and it is therefore desired to be protected for all such forms.

Wherefore, I claim:

'1. A surface covering installation comprising, in combination: a structure including at least one surface comprising at least one access cover area for access to an area behind or beneath said surface; and at least one strip of surface covering material relatively wider than the access cover area with a first portion at one side of said access cover area cementedto the construction surface and a second portion at another side of the access cover area opposite to the first mentioned access cover area side secured to the construction surface by a release adhesive; so that the strip of surface covering material may be secured to overlie the structure surface including the access cover area to form at least one liftable flap of covering material over said access cover area.

2. The surface covering installation as claimed in Claim 1, in which the liftable flap of covering material has a hinge edge and at least one lift edge.

3. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 2, in which the release adhesive comprises at least one pressure sensitive adhesive tape.

4. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 3, in which the structure surface is a floor, or wall surface, or the like, and at least one coating of sealer floor to underlie the lift edge of the placed between the sealer coat and the lift edge of the flap.

6. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 5, in which a tape having a smooth outer face is positioned at the lift edge.

7. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 5, in which the access cover area has at least one cover element and covers an elongated trench in the floor, or the like.

8. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 5, in which the access cover area is a circular or square plate and the flap has a plurality of lift edges in addition to the hinge edge.

9. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 7, in which the floor, or the like, is made of concrete and the strip of covering material is an elongated strip with a pair of substantially parallel sides running in the direction of the trench with the trench intermediate the strip covering material sides, with said flap hinge edge portion between a first side of the strip material and a first side of the trench, said strip being cemented to the floor between said first side and said hinge flap edge portion, said lift edge flap portion being formed by a cut through the strip material running longitudinally between a second edge of the strip material and a second edge of the trench and said adhesive securing means comprising a tape strip on the lift edge portion and the adhesive faces of said double-faced strip of tape between sealer coat and said lift edge of the flap.

10. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 9, in which the strip of covering material is comprised of carpeting having a sponge bonded base.

11. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 8, in which the floor, or the like, is made of concrete and the strip of covering material completely overlies the access cover with the flap being relatively larger than the access cover and having a perimeter surrounding the access cover formed by at least one hinge edge and at least one lift edge, said strip material being cemented to the floor at said hinge flap edge, said lift edge being formed by at least one cut through the strip material and said adhesive securing means comprising a strip of tape adhesive on the lift edge portion and the adhesive faces of said double-faced strip overlying said sealer coat.

12. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 11, in which the flap is in the form of a polygon with the hinge forming one side and the lift edge forming the other side.

13. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 12, in which the strip of covering material is comprised of carpeting having a sponge bonded base.

-14. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 12, in which the polygon is a rectangle.

15. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 10, in which there are a plurality of strips of carpeting material installed side by side over the floor surface and of which at least one strip is provided with flap means over access covering means.

16. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 13, in which there are a plurality of strips of carpeting material installed side by side over the floor surface and of which at least one strip is provided with flap means OVCI' access covering means. 

1. A surface covering installation comprising, in combination: a structure including at least one surface comprising at least one access cover area for access to an area behind or beneath said surface; and at least one strip of surface covering material relatively wider than the access cover area with a first portion at one side of said access cover area cemented to the construction surface and a second portion at another side of the access cover area opposite to the first mentioned access cover area side secured to the construction surface by a release adhesive; so that the strip of surface covering material may be secured to overlie the structure surface including the access cover area to form at least one liftable flap of covering material over said access cover area.
 2. The surface covering installation as claimed in Claim 1, in which the liftable flap of covering material has a hinge edge and at least one lift edge.
 3. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 2, in which the release adhesive comprises at least one pressure sensitive adhesive tape.
 4. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 3, in which the structure surface is a floor, or wall surface, or the like, and at least one coating of sealer is placed on the floor to underlie the lift edge of the flap.
 5. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 4, in which a double-faced adhesive tape is placed between the sealer coat and the lift edge of the flap.
 6. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 5, in which a tape having a smooth outer face is positioned at the lift edge.
 7. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 5, in which the access cover area has at least one cover element and covers an elongated trench in the floor, or the like.
 8. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 5, in which the access cover area is a circular or square plate and the flap has a plurality of lift edges in addition to the hinge edge.
 9. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 7, in which the floor, or the like, is made of concrete and the strip of covering material is an elongated strip with a pair of substantially parallel sides running in the direction of the trench with the trench intermediate the strip covering material sides, with said flap hinge edge portion between a first side of the strip material and a first side of the trench, said strip being cemented to the floor between said first side and said hinge flap edge portion, said lift edge flap portion being formed by a cut through the strip material running longitudinally between a second edge of the strip material and a second edge of the trench and said adhesive securing means comprising a tape strip on the lift edge portion and the adhesive faces of said double-faced strip of tape between sealer coat and said lift edge of the flap.
 10. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 9, in which the strip of coVering material is comprised of carpeting having a sponge bonded base.
 11. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 8, in which the floor, or the like, is made of concrete and the strip of covering material completely overlies the access cover with the flap being relatively larger than the access cover and having a perimeter surrounding the access cover formed by at least one hinge edge and at least one lift edge, said strip material being cemented to the floor at said hinge flap edge, said lift edge being formed by at least one cut through the strip material and said adhesive securing means comprising a strip of tape adhesive on the lift edge portion and the adhesive faces of said double-faced strip overlying said sealer coat.
 12. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 11, in which the flap is in the form of a polygon with the hinge forming one side and the lift edge forming the other side.
 13. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 12, in which the strip of covering material is comprised of carpeting having a sponge bonded base.
 14. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 12, in which the polygon is a rectangle.
 15. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 10, in which there are a plurality of strips of carpeting material installed side by side over the floor surface and of which at least one strip is provided with flap means over access covering means.
 16. The surface covering installation as claimed in claim 13, in which there are a plurality of strips of carpeting material installed side by side over the floor surface and of which at least one strip is provided with flap means over access covering means. 